Connecter



R; Aj GoELLER May 7,

CONNECTER Filed oct. l, 1926 Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. GOELLER, 0F LARCHMONT, NEW YORK.

CONNECTER.

This invention relates to a terminal or connecter of an electrical conductor and particularly to a terminal or connecter adapted to have a gripping action on the surface of the conductor.

The object of the invention is to provide a connecter which will be simple in a form and action and effective to give a secure hold with very intimate electrical contact between the parts.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of my improved connecter in its open position,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the connecter in connected position,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing my improved connector for holding two oppositely extending conductors together, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of my improved connecter illustrating a modiication.

Prior connecters having rotatable' gripping jaws have required the conductor to move or twist with the jaws during the gripping action, or, if the conductor did not move with the jaws, the grip and contact would be impaired by the slippage between the parts. When a conductor is thus twisted during fastening its constant tendency is to untwist and loosen the parts` in very objectionable manner.

The connecting means of this invention overcomes these objections and does not require the conductor to move or twist with the gripping jaws, but on the contrary gives a gripping cutting action of the jaws by their rotations around and movements along the conductor, the jaws being specially formed to cut a helical thread into the conductor during the gripping action to attain a very strong mechanical grip and a most intimate `electrical contact.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings a conically tapered wedge socket 5 is formed in a socketed sleeve or conductor-receiving member 4, which member is provided with a generally cylindrical threaded seat or socket portion 6. The gripping member is in the form of a nut with locking jaws and comprises a body portion 7 threaded to screw into the threaded portion 6 and carrying the jaws 8 which cooperate with the tapered socket 5. The jaws 8 are preferably formed as shown by tapered slots 9 and are of resilient, hardened material.

The outer surface 10 of the jaws 8 is conically tapered as shown in Fig. 1 to an angle with the axis of the cone slightly less than the angle of taper of the wedge sockct and as the gripping member is screwed into the socket the bending of the jaws will bring their conical surface more and more to the taper of the socket portion 5 as indicated in Fig. 2.

The gripping member has a generally cylindrical opening 11 through it, with the end ofthe jaws threaded by a tapered threading die producing threads 12 which progressively decrease in depth from the outer ends of the jaws toward their base, the apeXes of the threads being along the generally cylindrical surface of the opening l1.

In operation the conductor 13 is inserted through the open jaws as indicated in Fig. 1 and may have its end positioned against a bottom or end wall 14 of the socket. Then upon screwing in the gripping member, the conductor remaining stationary with relation to the socket, the threads 12 will gradually cut into the conductor. The pitch and direction given to the threads 12 with relation to threads 6, 7 are such that the gripping member will screw onto the conductor at the same rate that said member screws into the socket, and the gripping member thus screws into the socket and onto the conductor at the same time while the conductor and socket remain fixed with relation to each other.

The threading jaws 8 thus cut fresh surfaces of contact which are very extensive in area as compared with the line contacts of the prior art. The surfaces are also pressed and wedged together very tightly, there being an actual screw connection between the jaws and the conductor. The conductor not having twisted during the fastening operation has no tendency to untwist and any strains imposed upon the conductor in the direction of unscrewing it will be resisted by the end 15 gripped between the jaws and the end wall 14. In order for the conductor to unscrew out of the jaws it would be nccessary for a twisting force to be in the unscrewing direction and suiiicient in force to cut a deep thread through the end 15. A straight pull on the conductor could not release it without stripping the cut threads and also the end 15. The gripping member may be locked in its socket by any desired locking means such as a set screw 16.

In Fig. 3 the invention is shown applied to a coupling permitting conductors, extendllO ingr in opposite directions, to he connected, the `gripping` member being .shown provided with a wrench head l?.

In Iiig. 4i a double connection is shown so as to reinforce the tiret connection thereof, and is particularly applied to a T connection, although the T does not t'orm a part ot the. present invention. The Socketed sleeve or Hochetmember 2() has threaded connection with a T head 21 and is provided with a tapered socket 92 and threaded portion Q. The jaws 2l extend forwardly from the Sleeve 25 While a second socket member 26 extends rearwardly from the sleeve 25, there being provided a tapered surface 2T `tor'reeeivine` the jaw` 18 :if the type of clamping` :member shown in Fig. l. The threads 'termed on the. inner sides ot' the jaws 18 and 2&1.- are ot a pitch correepondine` to the threads formed on the sleeve 2O and socket 2G so that the eanie principle of operation ae previously described is present in the asaeinbling ol the connecter and conductor. The jaws 2e will be made to grip tirst. the conductor, after which the jaws 18 will be brought into operative relation to the conductor. Due te this double arrangement a very euhetantial eupport ie provided for the conductor and anypoesihle Strain on the threade of jawe 2t will he materially leee cned, Under no condition, however, will the threads eut in the conductor by the jawnl be weakened or stripped during` the clamping on ae ie possible in those types of prior art. eoiiinecters betore mentioned.

1,15111 electrical cannet-ter comprising a n'ien'iber to receive a conductor, and means for holding.)r eaid conductor relative to Said member eomprieing'- a Sleeve device threaded to Said member and clamping jaws actuated by ,said elecve device and adapted to cut. into the body oi ,Said conductor and rotate rolativo thereto while permitting a normal euttiue; relation between said jaws and conclue` tor,

2, An electrical connecter comprising holding jaws having helical screw threads,

and means for fol-cincr Said threads into the body of the conductor including cooperating screw threads ot" the same pitch as said cutting threads whereby during the cutting action said cutting threads will travel along.;r said conductor at the same rate aS leaid cooperating screw threads move relative to each other.

3. An electrical connecter comprisingr a pluralityY et means for cuttinlaY into the body ot' e conductor to hold the Same, one ot said means havingI helical screw threads for cutting into the body ot' the conductor, and means for eil'ectingr said cutting action including' cooperating` screw threads having the same pitch as said cutting` threads.

Lt. An electrical connecter con1priaing r a plurality of means for cutting into the body ot' a conductor to hold the Same, one of said means having` heli al Screw threadal `for cutting into the body ot the conductor, and

means for effecting Said cutting action including cooperating screw threads lhaving the same pitch as said cutting threads, said second cutting' means being supported by said tiret mentioned means.

5. A connecter for an electrical conductor comprising a solid body portion having a tubular end socket adapted to receive the end of the conductor, and menne for tasteniup` said conductor in said eocket comprising means rotatable with relation to the conduc tor and the body portion and having interior surface projections ada )ted to bite into the conductor, and a threaded portion threaded to the body portion to turn and force the parts together.A

G. An electrical connecter Compriamo a member to receive a conductor, a means :tor holding Said conductor relative to Said menibor, comprising a sleeve device threaded to Said member and clamping jaWS, actuated by said eleevc device and member to cut. into the hotly et said conductor with inereaeinar depth and move relative thereto ae the sleeve device rotates.

ROBERT A. GOELLER. 

